Mexican Independence Day officially starts at midnight tonight, marking Father Miguel Hidalgo’s cry for independence to rally the people of Mexico in 1810. Mexican restaurants throughout the Denver area will be helping guests celebrate with specials and parties. Some are rolling out one-day deals, while others are adding seasonal menu…
It’s been a long time coming — but Brian Laird, who’d hoped to open Sarto’s last fall, is finally nearing the finish line for his Italian restaurant and market. Back in early 2013, when Laird first talked to us about Sarto’s, he said he hoped to create “a Northern Italian…
Beer-loving zombies took over the streets of Denver on Saturday for the End of the World pub crawl. Complete with gruesome costumes, chase scenes and plenty of booze, this event was lively enough to wake the dead. Photographer Jake Shane was there to capture the apocalyptic fun; keep reading for…
The Nationalized Tiki at Acorn Last week’s dip into near-freezing temperatures got us thinking that winter is on its way, but relax — we’re looking at a few more weeks of warm weather here in Denver. It may even hit 90 degrees on Thursday, so what better way to hang…
This has been a bad week for Olive Garden. First, its new “Never Ending Pasta Pass” promo has been poked at — or outright kicked — by almost everyone on earth (Jimmy Kimmel’s poke was particularly hilarious) and then Olive Garden investor Starboard Value slaps the chain with a nearly…
A small garden patch next to a popular restaurant may not provide enough bounty to fill the plates of every hungry guest, even in the height of the season. But fresh flourishes can add artistry — as well as bursts of flavor — to the presentation, which is one of…
After a month of eating barbecue, last week we served up our list of the ten best barbecue joints in Denver — and the comments line has been smoking. “Wayne’s is the best!” “Jabo’s got robbed!” “Georgia Boys is yum.” See also: The Ten Best Barbecue Joints in Denver…
This week on Cafe Society, Gretchen Kurtz visited a Denver icon, the long-standing Barolo Grill. Mark Antonation talked to Kevin Grossi of Lola Mexican Fish House for Chef and Tell. And our quest for great barbecue in Denver culminated with our list of the ten best BBQ spots in town…
ViewHouse opened its second location over Labor Day weekend to big crowds looking for big views of Western skies and the Rocky Mountains. While low-hanging clouds may be limiting visibility outside this week, the scenery inside the 20,000 square-foot adult playground is certainly worth a visit, with decor ranging from…
The hazelnut-crusted prawns deserve to be the signature dish at Barolo Grill. Instead, it’s the braised duck, which has taken a few turns over the years — a little balsamic here, some Kalamata olives there — but remains a top seller. More than that, though, it’s a dish that draws…
“I always felt the big liquor stores offered an overwhelming amount of options,” says Mark Westmoreland. “I wandered aisle after aisle just to find a decent red that would go with dinner.” And with that in mind, Westmoreland opened Cask and Craft in LoHi last month. The store’s mission is…
The Weather Channel, like cable companions TLC (which apparently was once focused on learning), the History Channel and NatGeo (because National Geographic didn’t sound cool enough for the kids), has evolved from strictly education and information to entertainment. The Weather Channel’s fall schedule includes a “survival” show called Fat Guys…
One of Colorado’s drier stretches will wet its whistle a week from today when South Park Brewing opens, becoming the only craft brewery along a heavily-used 115-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 285 between Lakewood and Buena Vista. Located in Fairplay, at the junction of 285 and Colorado State Highway 9,…
No. 76 Chiles en Nogada at Chili Verde 2311 Federal Boulevard 720-287-2296 Mexican Independence Day is only a few days away, so what better way to celebrate than with one of Denver’s most unique Mexican dishes: chiles en nogada. Created in Puebla, Mexico, the dish captures the colors of the…
With the Great American Beer Festival just a few weeks away, the gang’s all beer — and just about every spot in town is getting into the act. That includes Denver International Airport, which next week will introduce Beer Flights, a temporary beer garden in the main terminal where ten…
Downtown Denver will be taken over by an army of the un-dead this weekend — but there are also more dignified ways to enjoy yourself in the days to come. Here’s a taste of what’s on the culinary calendar… See also: March of the Zombies 2014…
Denver doesn’t have much of a reputation as a barbecue city — which makes sense, since the distinct styles of American barbecue evolved in other states; any methods or meat cuts specific to Colorado (lamb or bison, for example) disappeared decades ago. Slow cooking over hardwood coals is a skill…
East West Partners took over the beleaguered Landmark project in Greenwood Village late last year, and it’s starting to make moves. Espresso American Coffee, a Central American company that has 165 stores internationally, will open its first U.S. locations in the Denver area this fall — one of them in…
Last month Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria closed in Park Meadows Shopping Center. Today, the Park Meadows neighborhood got a consolation prize: MOD Pizza, the first Colorado location of a Seattle-based chain. The store opened at 11 a.m., and there will be giveaways and tastings throughout the day. See also: Bonanno Brothers…
The Great American Beer Festival will welcome nearly 50,000 people to the Colorado Convention Center October 2 through October 4, along with an astounding 3,500 beers from 726 breweries, making it the biggest and best sudstravaganza in the world. Tickets sold out months ago (although you can find them online…
Bradford Heap, chef/owner of Boulder’s Salt Bistro, isn’t waiting around for a vote or for the government to take action on GMOs (genetically modified organisms). He’s already implemented a GMO-free kitchen, or what’s as close as possible. “We should say 99 percent — there’s so much (environmental) contamination that it’s…
As the bars of your parents and grandparents slowly atrophy, the layers of paint and smoke are peeled off and the floorboards ripped up, no one is quite sure how to replace these one-time classics while maintaining their old-fashioned spirit. But Frank Bonnanno’s Vesper Lounge found a way. The former…
